Ski boot or shoe stretcher



Aug. 10, 1965 H. KOHLER SKI BOOT 0R SHOE STRETCHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 20, 1963 INVENTOR.

HORST KOHLER ATTORNEYS 1955 H. KOHLER 3,199,131

SKi BOOT 0R SHOE STRETCHER Filed March 20, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

HO RS 7' K'HL ER A 7'7'ORNEYS Aug. 10, 1965 H. KOHLER 3,199,131

SKI BOOT 0R SHOE STRETCHER Filed March 20, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV E'NTOR. HORS 7' KOHLER ATTO R/VEVS United States Patent l 3,199,131 SKIBUOT 0R SHOE STRETCHER Horst Kohler, lrnrnenstadt, Allgau, Germany,assignor to Josef Ess O.H.G., Allgauer Slribeschlage-Fahrik, Sonthofen,Allgau, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Mar. 20, 1963, Ser. No.266,635 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 23, 1962, E 22,592 4Claims. (Cl. 12-1205) The invention relates to a shoe stretcher, moreespecially for ski boots, comprising two rails which are arrangedbeneath the sole of the boot and which are guided longitudinally onewithin the other and are also relatively displaceable and two clipsprovided at the ends of the rails for engaging around the edge of thesole at the toe and heel of the boot. A shoe stretcher of thisconstruction is known in which the clips are formed as closedrectangular loops, which are fitted on the toe and heel of the boot,respectively. These boot stretchers serve mainly for stretching skiboots, i.e. for holding the sole of the ski boot straight. For thispurpose, it is necessary for the clips to exert a pressureperpendicularly of the sole. For this reason, the two mutuallydisplaceable rails are tensioned relatively to one another by atightening device and a spring fitted into the said tightening device,i.e. they can be contracted by the tightening device. With the closingof the latter, the two rails are applied to the sole, and the two clipsexert on the sole a pressure which is directed at an angle to the soleand not perpendicularly. On account of the tightening device, which mustalso comprise a spring, the known boot stretcher is expensive tomanufacture. Since the two rails are clamped relatively to one anotheron closing the tightening device, when the tightening device is open,they also retain the same position which they occupied when the saiddevice was closed. It is consequently difiicult to remove this knownshoe stretcher from the sole. Furthermore, it is disadvantageous thatthe clips exert a pressure on the sole which is at an angle thereto,since thereby the sole stitching is subjected to an unnecessary load.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a shoe stretcher,more especially for ski boots, which does not have these disadvantages.This is achieved according to the invention by the rails being arrangedat a distance from the sole of the boot, and by a pressure member beingprovided on the rail facing the toe of the boot, the said member actingon the ball section of the sole. A tightening device and a spring aretherefore not provided with the new shoe stretcher. As a result, themanufacture thereof is substantially simplified and made less costly.With the new shoe or boot stretcher, the necessary spring actionrequired when the sole of the boot is straightened after some time isdisplaced into the two rails. The two relatively displaceable rails,which can be made of sheet metal, have in fact suflicient resilientproperties. These resilient properties can consequently become operativebecause the rails are arranged spaced from the sole of the boot. In thenew shoe or boot stretcher, the two rails are not pulled together, aswas formerly the case, when fitting the stretcher to the sole, so thatthe clips no longer exert a force obliquely of the sole, but a forcewhich is perpendicularly of the latter. The shoe stitching is thereforeno longer so heavily stressed as formerly. Since the pressure memberacts on the ball section of the sole, which experience shows has thestrongest fiexion with ski boots, the forces of the new boot stretcherare applied at the most favourable positions. Consequently, acomparatively small stretching force is sufiicient, so that the ski bootis protected by the new shoe or boot stretcher.

, at the point where this plate engages.

ice

Other advantages and details are more fully explained by reference tothe constructional examples illustrated in the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a first constructional example of the newshoe or boot stretcher with a ski boot clamped in position,

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the first em bodiment on theline IIII of FIG. 4,

FIG. 3 is a cross-section through the ski boot stretcher on the lineIII-III of FIG. 4,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first constructional example,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the second constructional example,

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through the second constructionalexample on the line VI-VIof FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a cross-section through the second constructional example onthe line VII-VII of FIG. 5,

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section of a third constructional example, and

FIG. 9 is a crosssection on the line IX-IX of FIG. 8.

A first embodiment of the new shoe or boot stretcher is shown in FIGS.1-4 of the drawings. The references 1 and 2 represent two rails whichare arranged beneath the sole and which are guided one within the otherlongitudinally and are also relatively displaceable. Provided at each ofthe two ends of these rails is a clip 3 or 4, these being formed ashooks in the embodiment illustrated and being articulated on the rail.As shown in FIG. 1, these hooks engage over the edge of the boot sole atthe toe and heel. As can also be seen from FIG. 1, the two rails 1, 2are arranged spaced from the sole; Provided on the rail 1 facing the toeof the boot is a pressure member 5, which acts on the ball section 6a ofthe sole 6. The pressure member is preferably arranged in the middle ofthe front sole, so that it acts on the sole 6 at the point where its'flexion is strongest. The sole can best be straightened in this way.This pressure member 5 can either be displaceable longitudinally of therails 1, 2 or it can be arranged in a fixed position. If the pressuremember 5 is arranged to be displaceable longitudinally, the shoe or bootstretcher is suitable for all expected sizes of boots or shoes. If thepressure member 5 is fixedly arranged, it would be necessary tomanufacture several difierent sizes of shoe stretchers, although onesize could also be used for several sizes of boots.

Ski boots, for which the new stretcher is to be particularly employed,have soles which are of very different thicknesses and of which theflexion is also ditferent. It is accordingly desirable to arrange forthe pressure member to be adjustable perpendicularly of the sole. Forthis purpose, the pressure member 5 can be vertically adjusted by meansof a screw bolt 7. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the screw bolt 7 ismounted to be rotatable but not axially displaceable in the pressuremember 5. A knurled head 8 can be provided for actuating the screw bolt7.

In order that there should not be any too strong flexion of the sole atthe point where the pressure member 5 engages when clamping the bootsole, the said member should be supported with a broad support surfaceon the sole. For this purpose, a rectangular plate 9 can be provided,the width of which corresponds approximately to the width of the rails1, 2 and the length of which is approximately the same as the width ofthe shoe sole When fitting the clamp to the ski boot, the plate 9 can bearranged perpendicularly of the length of the sole or alsolongitudinally thereof. When packing the shoe or boot stretcher, it isexpedient to arrange the rectangular plate longitudinally of the rails.

In order that the two rails 1, 2 can be displaced longitudinallyrelatively to one another, a slotted guide It) or 11 is provided in eachof these rails. Displaceably arranged in these two slotted guides 10, 11is a rivet connection 12. In the constructional examples illustrated,this rivet connection consists of a slide plate 13 arranged on theexternal surface of the rail 1 and a slide plate 14 arranged on theinternal surface of the rail 2, and also a spacer plate 15 arranged inthe slots 19, 11. The three plates 13 to 15 can be held together byrivets 16.

In the constructional example illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the pressuremember is also arranged on the rivet connection 12. For this purpose,the spacer plate 15 is formed with an internal thread in which the screwbolt 7 is arranged so that it can be screwed. The rivet connection 12thus has a double function in this case. It permits the mutuallongitudinal displacement of the two rails 1, 2 and it serves at thesame time for the displaceable mounting of the pressure member 5longitudinally of the rails 1, 2. In this way, the pressure member 5 canalways be arranged at the highest point of the ball section of the sole6. In order to impart a higher rigidity to the rails 11., 2, these areof U-shaped cross-section, as can be seen more especially from FIG. 3.

The operation and manipulation of the new shoe or boot stretcher is asfollows:

The front clip 3 is first of all fitted on the sole welt at the toe end,the pressure member 5 being in its uppermost position, i.e. bearing onthe rail 1. This position is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. The tworails 1, 2 are then pushed together until the clip 4 comes intoengagement with the sole edge .on the heel of the ski boot. Thereafter,by turning the knurled screw 8, the pressure member 5 is forceddownwardly. As a result, the previously curved boot sole (shown indotted lines in FIG. 1) is straightened. The forces which are exerted onthe sole are operative in their most favourable direction, i.e. they actperpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly of the sole, asindicated by arrows in FIG. 1. Therefore, no forces are exerted on theboot sole longitudinally thereof. In this way, not only is the shoeupper protected, but the positioning and tightening of the new bootstretcher is substantially facilitated. For this reason, it is alsopossible for example for the boot stretcher to be brought intoengagement with the ski boot when the pressure member is in its positionas shown in FIG. 1, i.e. when it is wholly or partially screwed down. Onfitting the boot stretcher to the ski boot, the clip 3 is first of allbrought into engagement with the toe, as previous ly described, thenpressure is applied to the rear rail 2 until the clip 4 can be hooked onthe heel of the boot. By virtue of the long lever arm of the two rails11, 2, the downward pressing of the rail 2 can be effected by usingcomparatively little force.

In the constructional example illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the pressuremember is arranged on the rivet connection 12. With a short constructionof the rails 1, 2 which is desirable in order to achieve smallestpossible packing dimensions of the boot stretcher, it can however happenthat the pressure member no longer engages the highest point of the ballsection of the sole, but is disposed more in the middle thereof.However, this would be undesirable for the action of the boot stretcher.In order to overcome this disadvantage, in the constructional exampleshown in FIGS. .5-7, the pressure member 5 is arranged on a slide 17provided so as to be displaceable on the rail 10. The pressure member 5can also be cons ructed as a rectangular plate and be verticallyadjustable by means of a screw bolt 7. In a similar manner to theconstructional example shown in FIGS. 1-4, a rivet connection 12a isalso provided, which interconnects the two rails in and 2:: so that theyare displaceable. In order that the two rails 1a and 2a can be pushedcompletely one within the other when the stretcher is not in use, theslot guideway 11a of the rail 2a is made open on one side. The screwbolt '7 can pass through this opening 13 on pushing the two railstogether. The rivet connection 12a is prevented from sliding out of theslotted guideway 11a by a constriction 19 of the latter at the opening18. The sliding out can however also be prevented by the web or sidesection of the U-shaped rail 2a being bent over at its end.

In order that the two rails 1a and 2a maintain their length, once thishas been adjusted to the specific size of sole, a leaf spring 20 can beprovided under one of the sliding plates 13a or 140. In the exampleillustrated in FIGS, 5-7, this leaf spring is arranged under theinwardly disposed sliding plate 13a. This leaf spring 2% obstructs themutual displacement of the two rails. A similar leaf spring could alsobe arranged on the slide 17 in order also to impede the displacementthereof relatively to the rail 1a. In this way, when the boot stretcheris frequently used on the same size of boot, it will always have thecorrect adjustment. It is also possible to provide a similar leaf springwith the rivet connection 12 shown in FIGS. 1-4. The leaf spring shownin FIGS. 5 and 6 could also be replaced by a clamping screw 21 which isshown in chain-dotted lines. The plates 13a-15a and the rivets 16ashould then be of such d-imensions that the plates Ilia-15a are onlyloosely held together by the rivets. On adjustment to the correct sizeof boot, the plates 13a and 15a could then be pressed together by theclamping screw 21, so that a mutual displacement of the rails 1a and 2ais avoided.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a still further, especially simple constructionalexample. In this construction also two rails 22 and 23, slidable withinone another, are provided and these ra-ils possess a U-shaped profile.The open sides of the two U-profiles are turned towards one another asis particularly apparent from FIG. 9. A clamping screw 24 has a threadedshank 33 and an enlarged head 34. The shank 33 extends through a slot 25in the rail 23 and is threaded into a threaded opening 35 in the rail22. A sleeve 36 encircles the shank 33 and is disposed between the head34 and the rail 23. A Washer 37 and a further sleeve 38 encircle theshank 33 and are disposed between the rails 22 and 23. Thus, when thethreaded shank 33 is threaded into the opening 35, washer 37 engages therail 23 and urges it toward rail 22 whereby said rails firmly engage thewasher 37 and sleeve 38 and are clamped thereagainst to releasablysecure the rails 22 and 23 against relative longitudinal movement. Apressure member 26 is also fixed in the rail 22 and is notlongitudinally slidable therein. A screw bolt 27 which. is screwablyarranged in the rail 22 is fast with this pressure member. In thismanner by turning of the pressure member 26 a height setting of thelatter can be effected. A strap loop 28 serves for the carrying of theshoe stretcher and the shoes stretched thereon. Hooks 29 and 30 areprovided at the ends of the rails 22 and 23, as in the foregoingembodiments, which engage over the shoe sole from below.

The fitting of this shoe stretcher on a shoe is carried out in thefollowing manner:

First the two rails 22 and 23 are slid past each other corresponding tothe desired shoe size and are then fastened against one another by meansof the clamping screw 24.

In order to prevent sliding back of the two rails 22 and 23 with weakerclamping force of the screw 24, serrations 31 can be provided on thefront edge of the limb of the profile 23 and corresponding serrations 32on the cross-piece of the profile 22, which mutually interengage in oneanother. Further, markings corresponding to the various shoe sizes canalso be provided on one limb of the rail 23, which facilitate the mutualpositioning of the rails.

After the two rails have been adjusted to the correct length, the hook29 is hooked onto the front end of the sole. As a result the pressuremember 26 rests on the ball part of the sole. By pressing down of therail 23 at its free end the hook 39 can also be hooked onto the heel ofthe shoe. This operation can be carried out very rapidly, so that thestretching of a shoe only takes a few seconds. According to the strengthand curvature of the sole the pressure member can be screwed more orless into the rail 22.

Supplementing the already described advantages of the new shoestretchers, there is here added the extremely careful stretching whichthey efiect. The pressure member operates substantially at right-anglesto the ball part of the shoe sole, while the hooks also pressperpendicularly from above on the front and rear ends of the shoe sole.Thus no force will be exerted in the longitudinal direction of the sole.As a result the hooks cannot press into the upper or the welt. Moreover,the sole is not stressed in the longitudinal direction so that it cannotbecome distorted and separation of the several leather layers of thesole from one another is avoided.

The present invention is not restricted to the constructional examplesshown. One could in a somewhat simpler construction renounce the heightadjustment of the pressure member, if a correspondingdownwardly-directed projection were provided in the rail 1a, whichengaged the ball part of the shoe sole upon fitting of the shoestretcher. One could also, if necessary, slidably guide the two railsrelative to one another by means of housing-like edges or the like.

I claim:

1. A shoe stretcher, especially for ski boots, comprising: two elongatedU-shaped rails each having a base wall and two spaced-apart side wallsextending away from said base wall, said rails being disposed with theirbase walls facing each other and their side walls extending toward thebase wall of the opposite rail and with the side walls of one rail beingreceived between the side walls of the other rail; means defining anelongated lengthwise extending slot in the base wall of one rail andmeans defining a threaded opening in the base wall of the other rail; aclamping screw extending through said slot and threaded in said opening;means defining a second threaded opening in the base wall of said otherrail spaced longitudinally from said first-named opening; a pressuremember having a threaded shank threaded in said opening so that saidpressure member can be moved in a direction substantially perpendicularto said rails; one end of one rail extending past the adjacent end ofthe other rail and the opposite end of said other rail extending pasttheother end of said one rail; and two sole-gripping hooks mountedrespectively on the extended ends of said rails for pivotal movementabout substantially parallel axes which are substantially perpendicularto the lengthwise extent of said rails and also substantiallyperpendicular to the lengthwise axes of said screw and said shank.

2. A shoe stretcher, especially for ski boots, comprising: two elongatedrails which are relatively longitudinally slidable with respect to eachother and means for releasing securing said rails together to preventsuch movement, said rails being of U-shaped cross section and eachhaving a base wall and two spaced-apart side walls extending away fromsaid base wall, said base walls of said rails being disposed in opposingrelation and said side walls on each rail extending toward the base wallof the other rail, the free edges of the side walls on one rail beingserrated and the base wall of the other rail having correspondingserrations for interengaging with the serrations on said side walls; apressure member attached to at least one of the rails and screw meansfor moving said pressure member in a direction substantiallyperpendicular to said rails; and two sole-gripping members mounted atthe opposite ends of said rails, said members being hook-shaped andbeing pivotally mounted on their associated rails.

3. A shoe stretcher, especially for ski boots, comprising: two elongatedrails which are relatively longitudinally slidable with respect to eachother, said rails having opposing base walls; means defining anelongated lengthwise extending slot in the base wall of one rail andmeans defining a threaded opening in the base wall of the other rail; aclamping screw extending through said slot and threaded in said opening;means defining a second threaded opening in the base Wall of said other.rail spaced longitudinally from said first-named opening; a pressuremember having a threaded shank threaded in said second opening so thatsaid pressure member can be moved in a direction substantiallyperpendicular to said rails; one end of one rail extending past theadjacent end of the other rail and the opposite end of said other railextending past the other end of said one rail; and two solegrippinghooks mounted respectively on the extended ends of said rails forpivotal movement about substantially parallel axes which aresubstantially perpendicular to the lengthwise extent of said rails andalso substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise axes of said screwand said shank.

4. A shoe stretcher, especially for ski boots, comprising: two elongatedrails which are relatively longitudinally slidable with respect to eachother, said rails having opposing base walls; means defining anelongated lengthwise extending slot in the base wall of one rail;clamping means extending through said slot and connected to the otherrail for clamping said rails against relative longitudinal movement; apressure member mounted on the base wall of the other rail spacedlongitudinally from said clamping means and means for moving saidpressure member in a direction substantially perpendicular to saidrails; and two sole-gripping members mounted at the opposite ends ofsaid rails, one member being mounted on one rail and the other memberbeing mounted on the other rail, said members being hook shaped andmeans pivotally mounted on said members on their associated rails forpivotal movement toward and away from each other about axessubstantially perpendicular to the direction in which said pressuremember moves and substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise extent ofsaid rails.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,042,364 1 0/ 12Mellen 12-1205 1,848,552 3/32 Sayles 12120.5 2,266,258 1/41 Peirce eta1. 12-1205 2,467,625 4/49 Mayo 12-120.5 2,993,726 9/59 Voster et al12-1205 FOREIGN PATENTS 3 11,926 5/29 Great Britain. 1,112,613 8/61Germany.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

4. A SHOE STRETCHER, ESPECIALLY FOR SKI BOOTS, COMPRISING: TWO ELONGATEDRAILS WHICH ARE RELATIVELY LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE WITH RESPECT TO EACHOTHER, SAID RAILS HAVING OPPOSING BASE WALLS; MEANS DEFINING ANELONGATED LENGTHWISE EXTENDING SLOT IN THE BASE WALL OF ONE RAIL;CLAMPING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT AND CONNECTED TO THE OTHERRAIL FOR CLAMPING SAID RAILS AGAINST RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT; APRESSURE MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE BASE WALL OF THE OTHER RAIL SPACEDLONGITUDINALLY FROM SAID CLAMPING MEANS AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAIDPRESSURE MEMBER IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAIDRAILS; AND TWO SOLE-GRIPPING MEMBERS MOUNTED AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OFSAID RAILS, ONE MEMBER BEING MOUNTED ON ONE RAIL AND THE OTHR MEMBERBEING MOUNTED ON THE OTHER RAIL, SAID MEMBERS BEING HOOK SHAPED ANDMEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBERS ON THEIR ASSOCIATED RAILS FORPIVOTAL MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER ABOUT AXESSUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH SAID PRESSUREMEMBER MOVES AND SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LENGTHWISE EXTENT OFSAID RAILS.